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Page 4 Gouvcrneur Tribune Press Thursday, June 5,2008 editorial page )—^ tribune $re*g The Gouvemeur Tribune Press (USPS) 640-300 is published every Thursday by Gouvemeur Tribune Press, Inc., 74 Trinity Avenue Gouvemeur, New York 13642 Subscription rate: $33 per year Periodicals: postage paid at Gouvemeur, N.Y. Postmaster: send address changes to: Goirvemeur TribunePress, Inc., 74 Trinity Ave., Gouvemeur, N.Y. M. Dan McClelland - Publisher Dick Sterling - Editor/General Manager Bobbi Sterling - Circulation/BiUing Hisa LaVancha - Advertising Representative Sandy Wyman - Reporter Nancy McConnell - Reporter (315) 287-2100 Memories still fresh after 40 years Learning the truth behind the tears This weekend marks the 40 th anniversary of a very tragic time in America. It also marks the anniversary of a life-altering time iivmy own life. It's amazing how issues with our everyday lives can be so easily forgotten, and those things that caused us great pakn remain forever, in fact seem like they just happened ; yesterday! 2vly firstmemories of violence on a national scale came when! was 1:1 years old. A man I had never heard of before, Martin Luther Kind, was shot and killed in April of 1968. My father told me he was killed because he was trying to stand up forhlack people. He said that times were very difficult. I didn't really understand what he meant. I watched the events unfold on the TV news. The first memories I have of a speech that moved me, even at my young * age, was one made by Robert Kennedy. I didn't even know • who he -was. I did realize that his brother was the president that * was shot and killed when I was only six years old. This man was speaking to a group of black people. In fact, ; most didn't realize that Dr. King had been killed. It was Bobby <• Kennedy who told them. He continued to explain how their 'hero hadbeen killed by a white man, just as his brother had been. ^ He made a lot of sense to me. I started thinking about * equal rights and race and those who may be disadvantaged. I * could sense that our country was in trouble. TVomonths later was the first time I ever saw my father, a * tough papeormaker who liked Genesee Beer, Pall Mall cigarettes and a long nap every evening, cry. I had j-ust come in from playing in the neighborhood. It was early June, and quite warm, strange how I can still ' remember the -weather. The bathroom door opened and my dad walked out , rubbing his eyes. I looked closer and noticed that he had tears * running down his cheeks. I didn't know whether to turn and run or ask him what was wrong. He assumed that half-sitting, half-kneeling position that gave enough of a lap for even an 11 -year-old to sit comfortably on. \Wha-f s the matter,\ I asked. « \Bobby Kennedy was shot. They don't think he's going \ to rnakze it,\ was his response. \Was he shot by a white man?\ was the only stupid thing I could think: to say. \Yes. why do you ask?\ \Because Bobby Kennedy was on TV telling people that white people killed his brother and Dr. King. Why are we killing these fanxous people?\ I asked. It was then that my father, who was certainly no X, philosopher, said something that has remained with me for 40 • years. In fact, 40 years to the day... Z \Fools come in every color. Always treat people how you * want to be treated. Don't be scared to stand up for the little * guy Sometimes great men have to die for trying to make a \ difference.\ There may have been sentences, or even paragraphs, in r between lis words. But those are the ones that I remember the , most. Bobby Kennedy, who my dad greatly respected, died the ' next day at the age of 42... two days later my dad also died at • the age of 42. It wasn't an assassin's bullet that finished off my father... it was a bad heart. And, unfortunately, it was before * modem medicine had advanced to the life-saving stages we take for granted today. ^ I think about that last day a lot... he came home from work.., said he didn' t feel good... got into a car with my mom, Z and never came home again. Even though an autopsy revealed his hidden heart \ probl-enxs. And the massive heart attack he suffered on that .. June afternoon, I've always wondered if those tears on his * tugged cheeks were an indication that the events of the day ~ may lave also lead to his early death. \When most of the country was watching the wake and * funeral of Bobby Kennedy play out on TV, I was too busy to * watch the news of the man whose speech had moved me at the - ageofll, T I had another funeral to prepare for. Forty years have passed, I have wondered lately how far \ nave we really come. Considering that a black man has all but wrapped up the k Democratic nomination for president, by defeating a woman, »'.' should indicate just how far we've come in the past 40 years. '• Eacism and sexism will always be an issue in America. But ', I Avoxild like to believe that our children, and our children's : children, will continue to judge a person by what they believe \ in.,, and hot by the color of their skin or the language they \ spealc. speajk. Monday accident By Sandy Wyman June 13,1962, Part 1 The Northern New York Firemen's Association at the group's annual convention in Alexandria Bay named Louis Curcio of Gouvemeur Fireman of the Year last week. He was nominated for the honor by the Gouvemeur Fore Department and is still under consideration for a similar award from the state association. His selection was based on the part he played in rescuing members of the Peter Cutrie from their blazing home onPooler Street in July of 1961. The house next door to Mr. Curcio was racked by an explosion in the early evening of July 24. The local firemen led Mr. and Mrs. Cutrie out of the house and then returned for their 2^M> daughter, Louanne, who was upstairs. Discovering that the stairway was blown away, Mr. Curcio ran home for a ladder that he placed on the front porch. He entered the second story by kicking out a window. Feeling his way, he finally found the girl and made his way back to the window where he handed her to another fireman. When he re-entered the structure to remove furniture, he found the badly burned Mr. Cutrie whom he thought had already been taken to the local hospital walking around dazed. Letter to the Editor Energy crisis affects us all To the Editor, Something is plainly evident. We are in an energy crisis. It is greater than 9-11 as it affects all phases of our lives. Washington Republicans are playing ostrich, not wishing to see the truth. We must switch all home heating to natural gas, electric or coal. We need the fuel oil for tracks, trains and agriculture. We need to switch oil-fired electric to coal, wind or nuclear power. I was on Nuclear U.S submarines; maybe we need the Navy to oversee the power stations'. We need to transfer from autos to mass transit whenever possible. Gas-guzzling trucks getting less than 30 mpg must be taxed higher than smaller vehicles. Scooters & motorbikes should be promoted. We need change and we need it NOW! Dwayne Martin Gouvemeur He immediately took him to the hospital where other members of the family were already under treatment. Gene Raymond Cutrie, age 4, who was with his father in the basement when the explosion occurred did not survive the tragic event. June 13,1962, Part 2 A popular and well- known recording pair, Les Paul and Mary Ford will share top billing with songstress and television personality Carmel Quinn and country western singer Hank Snow at the Gouvemeur and St. Lawrence County Fair grandstand shows August 6-11. In addition to the Paul-Ford team and Miss Quinn, who was a hit at the fair in 1959, Hank Snow and company will be performing with Johnnie, Jack and Kitty Wells. On the track will be Joie Chitwood on opening day arid Jack Kochman at the close of the fair with their hair raising driving abilities. Louis P. Curcio was named Fireman of the Year by the Northern New York Firemen's Association at the annual convention in Alexandria Bay last week for his efforts in rescuing members of the Peter Cutrie family from their blazing home in July of 1961. He is shown accepting the award from Leroy Kinsey, President of the New York State Firemen's Association. Do you remember this shoe store at 105 East Main Street? James Walker Ormiston and his son Thomas D. Ormiston jointly owned Ormiston's Shoe Store from the late teens into the 1930's. Thomas is sitting on the stool on the far right side and James is standing on the far left wearing a cap. Note shoe style on the table on front of James. James died in 1924 and Thomas in 1936. Both are buried in Riverside Cemetery. Photo courtesy of James Ormiston of Horseheads and the Gouvemeur Letters To A Home Town Scozzafava Commemorates Hybrid Businesses 6th annual \Disability Day\ * Assemblywoman Dierdre \Dede\ Scozzafava was recently joined in the Assembly Parlor by her colleagues to help celebrate the sixth annual Disability Day. Scozzafava honored Michelle Appleby and Ben Yugartis. \Every June, I am pleased to honor such dedicated individuals and this year is no different,\ said Scozzafava. \Both Ben and Michelle have overcome so much throughout their lives and constantly give back to the communities which they call home. I am proud to be their representative here in Albany.\ Michelle is the Statewide Systems Advocate for the Northern Regional Center for Independent Living (NRCIL), who facilitates two advocacy meetings per month and has been working at NRCIL since December 2007. Michelle works with the Community Service Board, MRDD Sub-Committee and the Board of the Disabled Persons Action Organization. Civic- minded-, she has been involved with a variety of issues including accessible voting machines, transportation and mobility issues. Michelle is a single mother of two who is very active in the community. Born with spina bifidia, Michelle has not allowed her disability to compromise her quality of life. lor nearly two hours on Monday evening I stood on Route 58 in Edwards, watching as rescue workers and firefighters from Gouvemeur, Edwards, Fine and Richville worked valiantly to free a young man from Maine from the tangled wreckage of his truck. There was a lot of sweat, many tense moments, and plenty of frustration on the part of those specially trained volunteers who were trying their best to free Kenneth Harmon, 28, from his precarious position inside that big rig. Until shortly before 8 p.m. Edwards, Fine and Gouvemeur, were jost road signs in the middle of nowhere to this young man. But suddenly, in a matter of seconds, his very life rested in the trained hands of total strangers. I realized that if I'm ever upside down in a vehicle, and trapped by the wreckage around me... I hope the people who corrxc to help he are as helpful as those who worked so hard Monday night at a task that, at times, seemed almost impossible. On the mend It was a tough week at the Trib with our two ace reporters, Sandy \Wyman and Nancy McConnell, both out of commission •withmedical issues. Sandy spent a few days in E.J. Noble, and Nancy is a patient at Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Both ofyou... get well soon.. .ORELSE! -Vvdh Sterling Assemblywoman Dierdre Scozzafava (right) meets with Michelle Appleby (left) and two friends at the sixth annual \Disability Day\ in Albany. By Angel Thompson-Georges A friend of mine has a habit of sending me text messages whenever he encounters odd things. For those who don't live in NYC, or some other urban area where everyone over the age of twelve has a cell phone, text messages are little notes you can type on the key pad and send from cell phone to cell phone. Though it might seem an awful lot of trouble typing on that tiny little keypadhaving to hit 44-33-555-555-666 just to say \Hello\, I am personally a fan of them. Unlike a ringing phone, -I do not feel compelled to immediately answer or respond to a text message. They are the electronic equivalent of a postcard without the stamp, perfect for quips and quick hellos; a modern-age way to let someone know you are thinking of them. That is what my friend does; he sends me text messages when things make him think of me. Most of them are odd. I dare not ponder. One of the most recent of such messages was when his band went to North Carolina to play at a festival. They were scheduled to play at a club called the Soap Box that none of them knew anything about. As it turned out, it is aptly named. The text message I received read \people keep walking through the club we are playing at with their laundry\ I chortled at the irony; they had driven ten hours to play at a Laundromat! Even more than humor though, my reaction was of admiration. There was brilliance to whoever came up with the idea of such a hybrid: a bar that was also a Laundromat. Some businesses just naturally go hand in hand. Gas stations and convenience stores belong together. Coffee shops and bookstores do too. Even Baskin Robbins and Dunkin Donuts joining forces makes perfect sense in a 'desperate for a sugar and caffeine rush on a hot day' sort of way. If split into businesses by salable commodity, the farm where I grew up was three, each headed by a different member of the family. My dad ran the dairy, my Grandfather the sugar bush, and my grandmother the greenhouse. Still, it was all the Thompson Farm. That is the way farms, and for that matter many'other businesses survive. When the sale of a single commodity or service cannot support a business, it is possible that diversification can. The key is finding the right hybrid. The text message about the Soap Box got me thinking, if I could meld any two businesses in the effort to come up with a sure fire success, what would they be? Bait and sushi come to mind, but I bet it has already been done. I'm really not sure what I would do, but while I ponder I will also wonder; who came up with the idea of text messaging and how is it that the average NYC twelve year old can type 4-666-666-3-22-999-33 so much faster than me! I hope this letter has found you and yours in good spirits and good health. Until I write again...
