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The Altamont Enterprise- •Thursday, December 25,2008' For emergencies, town could keep list of people who need power for medical reasons To the Editor: After reading Mr. Loetterle's letter, [Dec. 18, 2008: \Man on dialysis says: Emergency list is a hoax] communication seems to be a problem between those with the list of people who need poweX ffor, 'medical • reasons and the local agencies that can be of assistance. Apparently the power com- pany, who touts having \The List\ no doubt for good company image) has no legal obligation to do anything about it. Why couldn't the town of Berne put on its website, a sign-up list for people who need to be or know someone who needs to be on this register? The link could he accessed by the public for con- stant revisions and a list could be forwarded to the appropriate agencies on a monthly basis. I know the ambulance and fire companies would have no prob- lem checking on the members of our community. During pur last power outage, the ambulance and fire companies had shelters open to all, with heat, water, and electricity. We are truly blessed with all the people who volunteer then- time and services for pur emer- gency medical service and fire service. God bless you all! Judd Worden East Berne We are blessed to live the way we do here We To the Editor: During the recent ice storm, 1 learned a few things. I'm glad that we bought a generator several years ago. It sure was nice to have heat, water, and refrigeration. But after we bought it, we called our electrician and he said we would have to replace our fuse box and the en^ •' ' trance cable in order to install the switch that would cut the generator power from going oiit on the line and perhaps injuring the workers trying to restore power. This would cost ,so much that we couldn't afv ford it. So he asked me what we wanted to run. I said that we wanted the furnace, the water pump, and the refrigerator. So he cut the electric lines to the pump and the furnace and put in heavy-duty plugs and sockets. We had bought a large enough generator to run the whole house even if several, motors started at once! We could have gotten by with a little portable generator like they use on construction jobs. I guess all of us learned from the news that you should never, never heat your house with a stove that is not hooked to a stove pipe and chimney. A number of people died from carbon monox- ide poisoning. Years ago, we bought a kero^ sene heater, but after reading the directions,, we never used take our very comfortable lifestyle for granted — electricity 24/7 * drinking water in our Warm houses. it. It still sits in the basement in the box. Make sure that you have a good supply of candles and stable candle holders. Also make sure you have flashlights and fresh batteries. Before we had the generator, we used to light a fire in the fireplace and this did make some heat in the living room. But this is the first time we were without heat for parts of three days and two nights. The problem was a blown fuse in a transformer, as far as I can find out. This affected 16 houses on part of Koonz Road. Every- body all around us had power. We.take our very comfortable lifestyle for granted^ electricity 24/7, clean drinking water in our . warm houses. There are so many people all over the world who have to walk long distances to get their water and it probably is not what we would call potable. Many countries don't have electricity 24 hours a day. • I'm^sure that the majority of the world's people don't have insu- lated houses with plenty of heat or air-conditioning and most Of them who have some kind of heat, can't warm their homes the way we do. Let us all remember how blessed we are to live the way we do! BobShedd New Scotland The Altamont postmaster gave my package away To the Editor: I have a very serious situation unfolding with the local post office. Yesterday morning, Dec. 22, at approximately 9:45 a.m., I picked up the mail in my postal box. There were two yellow slips there indicating that I had two packages arrive. When I gave the two slips to Dawnj the postal clerk on duty, she was only able to locate one of the packages and asked if I could check back later in the day to see if she could locate the second one. I returned around 3 p.m., opened my box, and found another yellow slip inside. I thought that ; was the missing package, but Dawn informed me that she had just put that slip in my box to indicate the arrival of a shipment of fruit from Florida. As I inquired about the pack- age that still had not been locat- ed, Terry, the postmaster, walked by and asked what the problem was. When Dawn explained that I was looking for the second pack- age, Terry matter-bf-factly said, \Oh I gave that other package to that woman this morning.\ I asked incredulously about this mysterious woman, and Terry said, \I was so confused, and I thought she said, '651' (wriich is my box number) so I gave your package to her.\ I tried to find out the wornan's name who had gotten my packages, iand Terry admitted that she did not know her. Noting that Terry now requires that, even after 38 years as a pa- tron ofthis postal branch, I have to show a photo identification to write a $14 check for stamps, I asked how she could possible jus- tify giving a package addressed to me to a perfect stranger. Her response as she walked away from me was, \Oh Jerry, she will return it.\ This morning, having waited 24 hours, I went up to find out if the mystery woman had ma- terialized with my package. She had not. I asked to speak with Terry and ;She simply dismissed my concern as inconsequential to her job duties. If delivery of mail to the addressee is outside her job description, I would like to know what hpr \duties'* are then. . The matter was left with her statement to me, \Therete noth- ing I can do.\ This is unacceptable and I think everyone : should check their mail very carefully as the postmaster in Altamont does not believe it is within the realm of her duties to see that your mail is delivered to you. Jerry Oliver Altamont Editor's note: \The good.news here,\ said Maureen Marion, public affairs specialist for the post office, \is ike customer, the aggrieved^party, told us; that gives us-achance to fix it.\ While Altamont's postmaster was willing to talk to The En- terprise, the United States Postal Service has a policy, Marion said, that postmasters cannot be quoted in the press. Altamont has roughly 700 box holders and has a system in place where a yellow card is placed in a postal box if a pack- age, for example, is too big to fit; the customer then goes to the post office counter to claim itj Marion said. \The presumption is, if you have that yellow notice, you have authorization to collect that box,\ said Marion. It is not clear if the yellow slip in this case was misdelivered, she said. The parcel was not a signature- requiredpiece, she said, so, when a woman twice named Post Office BdxvSil, the parcel was handed over. Although it's cumbersome for customers, postal workers are encouraged to ask for identifica- tion when they do not know a customer, said Marion. \In this case, it did not happen.'' *We'rejustheartsick ovet•this,\ said Marion. \We're looking at tightening up a tittle bit,. And, of course, we're looking for the per soil who had thatpiece:. Jit may-have been- a person with good intent who thought it uias a Secret Santa gift.\ She concluded, \We'll work very ' hard to get that package and not make thai mistake again.\ '•\ • • r O Altamoni Enterprise, Dec^ 25,1908 A Parody fcj FRAN1 J. BOflNELLE Hour dear to thm heart Is the gtockr ' tag. of childhood. when. fond; ,-tgcplt lection' precepts* It' tai-Vyfcwl''\ 7'pn -Cfalsfmmm. Stl Xtek «ame ; fh?m ttmt. whitened wildwood \with .'evefj loved toy which my infancy tnew. The wide spreading . cblumey, the •led\ which stood tjy it;, a horse and *. •qnie boofo-r. remember- them ailr 1 *. 'doll; tor. my sister, and baby bouse . nigh It, and then the full irtoeiiinj; which bang on the wall—the Santa Glaus., stocking. tBe txmntifni stocwng;. tiie Christmas mora stm-khij,' which hung on •ate. wail! . The.well stuffed enyeidpe I tailed as a/treasure.TO early that morn- ing. I opened my eyes and. found there- the source of an exquisite ? pleasure, the purest and sweetest that nature supplies. Bow ardent I seized it with hands that were, glowing and back^ to my white sheeted bed went with all, then soon. with the emblems of love overflow- ing, was' happy, in what to my lot did befall—the Santa Claus \stocking the generous stocking, the Christ- mas morn stocking which hung or the wall! How sweet through its round open top to e-M>lorc it as poised on ray knee it inclined to ' my view! Not a hot. tempting breakfast could , .make .me ignore It for longer at most than a minute or two. And now, far removed from the loved situation, the tear of regret will intrusively fall \. as iaacf tevetXii to my youth's habitation and sighs o'er the > stocking which hung on the wall— i the Santa Clans stocking, the plethoric Stocking, 1 tiie Christmas morn stocking Which hung on me wall! But grown people find there's » later sensation as grateful as any they felt long ago. It conies when they witness, the glad ' f\\ eanltation which on Christniaa morning their own off- .\'.__ spiuiis show. And now, dear;bjd Santa.Clans, let me ' r petition'your IkioF'far children, both large.ones.<ind frnirion ttratr^ InV^ch stocking which hangs' on the wad—the wealthy .child's stocking, the poor urchin's stocttafc; yen. fill every stocking which hangs. .• . • ' on the wall! iBbanyConiuyRst Published continuously since July 26,1884 \We seek the truth and print it\ NYFA JAMES E.GARDNER MELISSA HALE-SPENCER Publisher Editor NEWS OFFICE — 861-5005 or 861-5008. ..BUSINESS OFFICE — 861-6641 Staff Writere.: JO E. PROUT, SARANAC HALE SPENCER, ZACHAHY SIMEONE, JORDANMICHAEL, PHnjPPA STASIUK Cartoonist.,..- . :.....:. ; FOREST BYRD Advertising Director _ CHERIE LUSSIER — 861-8179 Advertising Representatives FOREST BYRD, RAM FENOFF — 861-5893 Office Manager WANDA GARDNER — 861-6641 Production Supervisor .: SUSAN SPACCARELLI Production , JAMES E: GARDNER JR., BARBARA DEGAETANO, ELLEN SCHREIBSTEIN.BRENDA POWELL, ELISABETH ST. LOUIS •';!• \m The Enterprise is the newspaper of record fin- Gmlderland, New Scotland, Berne, Knox, WoctCTln anJBcnaccl-iBTping fWinigginTi igtnfinH tliRtrntli, rppnrt. it fairly, nnil provide a forum tar the open exchange of ideas on issues importanttoidur community. PUBLISHED THUBSDAYS at 123 Maple Ave.^AItamont, NY 12009, Periodical postage paid at Altamont, NY. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Altamont Enterprise, PO Box 654,Altamont,NY12009. USPS 692-580, ISSN 08904025. FAX: 861-5105. E-MAn^aItamontenteTprise@esdsI-net ,. WEBSITE: www.altamoiitenterprise.com . j OFFICE HOURS: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,Monday through Friday. SUBSCRIPTIONBATES: For Attany County «Mdents, one year, $28;six months, $21. For ont-of-county subscribers, one year, $30; six months, $24. Postal charges incurred by a subscriber's laflure to notify the newspaper of an address change will be billed to the subscriber upon renewal. No refunds on subscriptions. Single copy: $1.00. ADVERTISEMENT BATES available upon request. The publisher reserves the right to reject advertising at any time for any reason. Liability for errors in advertisements will, at the publisher's discretion, be limitedtothevalueof the ad only. NEWS DEADLINES: For correspondents' columns, Monday before publication. For all other contributions, Tuesday before publication. CORRECTIONS: The Enterprise will correct errors and clarify misunderstandings in news stories when brought to the attention of the editor, phone 861-5005. VIEWPOINTS expressed by staffmembers, contributing writers, and correspondents : do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership of The Enterprise. QUESTIONS and COMMENTS concerning the content of this, newspaper should be directed to the editor by calling 861-5005.or in tiie form of a letter to the editor. WEbDiMGANDENGAGEliENTA^OUNCEMENTS willbeprinted free of charge. A $20 fe wUl be diarged for announcements with a photograph. PHOTOGRAPHS wiUbeprmtedvritharnioimrementsaboutstUdentafora$30minimuni fee. There is noi charge to print announcements without photographs. /
