Letters to the Editor
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Zip Lines, Olmsted? I think not!
In reference to the article titled “Olmsted People Mum on Rock Climbing," I, for one, would not want to attach any wires to the rocks near the park. Or have they forgotten about the earthquakes that brought down the original electric plant that was nearby the falls, off of 2nd Street?
To me, it’s not a safe thing for the public to be going rock climbing near water or where there once was a rock slide!
But I guess ignorance is bliss. Because many don't know the history of those rocks! We have had earth trembles/quakes there, but most people don't know about that history of Niagara or felt them or won't even recognize them until someone gets hurt! Not a thing Olmsted foresaw for Niagara Falls, I am sure! What people don't know is what Olmsted meant by "Contemplative." He sure did not mean destructiveness or such ventures of what I see as suicidal behavior! Get real! Can you see Nik Wallendas behavior as normal? We all can do rock climbing? To me it’s not a promotion I would venture over the falls! All I can see is death and destruction from such behavior!
Susana Lazarou
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Train Station, Hooray!
My husband and I have been traveling via Amtrak for many years, arriving at the existing Niagara Falls station. Often we see other travelers, who are tourists, look shocked and dismayed when they step off the train. They appear to wonder where on earth have they been taken.
Having grown utp in Niagara Falls, I can provide suggestions to them about how to get to hotels. I can only imagine the trepidation they feel when getting into a cab at 11:00 p.m. The station itself is closed at night so train riders are dumped into the parking lot. We muster all the pride we can to assure the tourists that they will be "ok" while feeling somewhat embarrassed at this introduction to Niagara Falls.
The new station, will be a wonderful improvement for tourists and Niagara Falls natives. It will be an incentive for Main Street to revive as a new entity. Hopefully, the owners of the decrepit buildings will be encouraged to restore or renovate their properties to entice tourists to explore the area around the North End. Heavens, maybe someone will build a hotel or new hostel, and restaurants and recreate the pathway we natives used to enjoy from Main to Pine to Falls St. People like us, who prefer not to use cars, might actually be able to travel to other cities and states by living in an apartment or home near the station. The possibilities are endless.
If this project is considered Mayor Paul Dyster's baby..........well, good for him and all the others who believe in the new station.
Doris Noblin
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No Respect for the Dead
This is in regards to our friend who passed away on 05/03/13. The article in regards to her death was cold, very graphic and inhuman. His description (Frank Parlato) should have been left on the police report or coroner's report not published for everyone to read. To us who knew her she was more than just a "dead body" and deserved dignity and respect. Sherry was a very quiet and kind person and kept to herself and, when we didn't see her for a few days maintenance checked on her and found her deceased and that's all that needed to be printed. Imagine if she was your daughter or sister and you were coming from out of town and read this in the local paper. Sherry was a sweet person and will not be forgotten at Wrobel Towers. She loved animals and was looking forward to getting her own cat and dog again in the future and she enjoyed visiting with my cat and watching movies. As her friend, the last memory I should have of her should be that of watching a movie together, not that terrible image your article printed. We would like to see a retraction not only in your paper, but the Niagara Gazette.
Tina Agostino
Josie Robinson and Tenants of Wrobel Towers
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Bad Comparison on Welfare Moms
I periodically read the Niagara Falls Reporter as I appreciate being informed on happenings in the area from a "truth," non-biased perspective. This is what I believed about your paper until recently. I was reading the article on welfare for millionaires, intrigued again at how you go in and present concepts that may be left out of the regular circulation media, but I noticed a depiction that was either disturbing or at least concerning. There is a picture of two women, both receiving benefits from welfare. The woman holding a baby on the left was considered "A lazy welfare mother." I thought about that and wondered is this mother "lazy" or is she in "need?" I did not think this was a fair assumption to make and was somewhat shocked to see this type of depiction displayed on a newspaper I respected because of its fairness and truth. I hope that you consider what picture you left in the imprints of the minds, and I hope you correct this and get back to reporting the "truth" with "fairness."
Rob Bennett
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Stupid People in Niagara
Can you imagine any place else in the world as stupid as Niagara Falls? They give foreigners more legal rights than their own children.
Thanks to Albany, Senecas now have more rights than Americans here.
Do you think in Sydney Australia, for example, they would give over 50 acres of their downtown and allow a sovereign nation to be tax free and have a monopoly on gaming while their own people had no rights to operate gaming and had to compete and pay high taxes?
Go ask the people of Sydney if they would do this, but be prepared for a fairly rude answer.
John Jeffrey Huston
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Cuomo New Deal with Seneca is Sleazy
I read with surprise that Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Seneca’s settled their differences by agreeing to renew the compact when it expires in 2016.
So the original compact can be modified in this casual, murky way because Cuomo said so?
This casual, murky agreement would have to supersede the wording and understanding of the original compact which does not, of course, call for automatic renewal.
Looks to me like they did a quick and dirty handshake and prevented the City of Niagara Falls or other parties from rocking their respective boats.
But this is the same Governor that insisted that the Maid of the Mist is not receiving preferential treatment or doing damage to the Gorge. He's also working to "rid the state of government corruption"... He could start ridding the corruption by making the Maid bid against their competitors. In Niagara Falls and NYS corruption is in the eye of the beholder.
Jane Stanton
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Bad Rap on Pedophiles
Dear Mike Hudson; Oftentimes I like the bite you put in your writing, however, in your pedophile article you took it too far.
I get that you don't like pedophiles, so much so that it appears you have something to hide, but the lack of professionalism in your article makes me wonder when was the last time you read a real newspaper.
Kelly 'Niagara'
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My Thoughts For Casino Money
I know that $89 million is a lot of money, and the city does need many repairs. But I was hoping that Mayor Dyster, and the city council can use some of the money to help finish that Veteran’s Memorial at Hyde Park. It is a beautiful Memorial and I know that many visitors and citizens would like to visit it. It can become one of Niagara Falls attractions. I hate to see it go unfinished because of the lack of funds. What a wonderful way for our city to pay tribute to our local veterans and those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
Robert Pyrciak
USAF Vet
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Is Seneca Nation Really Tax Free?
I read the article in the Niagara Falls Reporter regarding the sales tax saved by shopping on the "Rez".
What was omitted from the article was the fact that all of us who file NYS income tax returns are asked the question, "Did you purchase anything that you did not pay the sales tax on?" This means not only catalog sales but also on the Indian reservation.
So, legally, you should have paid the sales tax on the purchases you made on the Rez, when you filed your taxes. Did you? I do.
NYS Sales Tax Division is looking at this and especially those of us who live near the reservation. So, the playing field is level if people are honest about it.
You might want to mention the above on the Tom Darro radio program and let the Reporter publish the "real facts."
An informed consumer.
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Goodbye, Niagara Falls
I left Niagara Falls for better opportunity in Florida eight years ago. A couple of weeks ago, I went to Rochester for a family reunion.
One day my sister and I drove to Niagara Falls for a visit to see how things had changed since leaving our hometown.
I was shocked to say the least. The casino had expanded and the casino complex was very nice, but outside, things were pretty scary.
Numerous businesses and homes were gone on Niagara Street from my last trip.
The community surrounding the casino was in far greater despair than I last remember. Homes with roofs caving in. Up-and-down Ferry and Walnut, the same despair.
We drove by the new police station on Main Street. I remember the reason for placing the station on Main Street was for revitalization of the area. The police station looked great. But the surrounding community did not. The only thing new I saw was some spray paint on some of the plywood covered windows of the former businesses. Never made any sense to me not to place the police station in the center of the city.
Driving on Niagara Falls Blvd., past the old Union Carbide plant, was disturbing. All of former buildings gone and the debris and rubble laying in its wake.
By far the worst area, in my opinion, was Buffalo Avenue in the area of DuPont and Occidental. The road was torn up, and it looked like a ghost town. Not a soul to be seen. It actually reminded me of Chernobyl. I remember the days when that area was the center of economic activity of the city. Those days are long gone. My father spent over 40 years at Occidental supporting our family.
I can now say that that will be my last visit to Niagara Falls. The city is gone, and it’s in a sad, moribund state.
Sad, really sad.
Dan Reid
Fort Myers, Florida
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Thanks From Prison for Your Paper
First let me thank you for sending me the Reporter. It keeps me up to date on the happenings back home. Also, after I read the Reporter, I bring it over to the prison library where they have a rack for all the newspapers from around the country: NY City, Detroit, D.C., etc. Anyways, the Reporter has its own rack and is read by the 2,000 inmates that are located here. I have heard nothing but positive responses from the guys; they get a kick out of the “To The Point”, articles, not to mention the hilarious photos - keep up the great work and thanks again.
Mark Congi
FCI Elkton,
Lisbon, Ohio
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Good Motto
I'm an avid reader of your newspaper and a freelance writer. Your motto that "The Truth Is Always Fair" is nothing short of spectacular.
Nicole L. Fricke
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Let's Consider Suing
The compact has the markings of a civil rights lawsuit. The governor's agreement with individuals representing a sovereign nation, and the governors before him appear to have violated someone's civil rights.