Memorial Day

The Uncle never served in the US armed forces, and the uniform that I wore in my last job was covered with medals which I bestowed upon myself, yet I offer an opinion.

I have heard a great many speeches speaking of sacrifice, bravery, patriotism and honor and all of these things need to be said and repeated, but they are nowhere near enough.

When we should honor those who died in battle - instead we hide their coffins as they return to this country as though we were ashamed of them.

When we should give all possible care to those who served and who still live among us, instead we do far too little, far too slowly.

When we should be doing everything possible for those who are still in harm's way we have denied them body armor, we have denied them protective vehicles, we have denied them the psychological care they must have and, some of us, would deny them the fullest possible benefits.

The speeches are necessary, but if that is all we have to offer then we have failed those who never failed us.

A Conspiracy Theory

Uncle Billy Larkin doesn't much like Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun.

Woodbury Republican Committee Chairman Ralph Caruso, Uncle Billy's left-hand-man, tried to keep the Committee from endorsing Nancy.

Ralph and former Cornwall Supervisor Richard Randazzo worked together to sue Woodbury over the WP3 (Woodbury Junction) project.

Randazzo is running against Nancy for her Assembly seat.

Anthony Incanno is fronting for the current push to get the Town of Cornwall, the Village of Cornwall On Hudson and the Cornwall Central School District Board of Education to sue Woodbury over the Legacy Ridge project.

Incanno cannot form a coherent sentence so it is obvious that someone is writing his letters to the Cornwall Local.

That letter writer has repeatedly referred to and quoted the obscure writings of Ralph Caruso.

Randazzo and Caruso are nowhere to be seen.

Anyone smell something fishy?

The Pieman Is Looking For A Few Tough Women

At least that what he tells us.

Why?

Go know. He's not saying.

All that he does say is that if you are female and are interested in bringing honest elections to Orange County you should email him at jswiller@optonline.net or call 845-928-9273.

The Uncle thinks he's just looking for a date, but when asked that very question, the Pieman says no.

On second thought, it's sort of hard picturing him on a date, what would he talk about? Petitions and pipelines? Annexation and lying politicians?

Neh. Sweet talk doesn't seem to be his style.

Give him a call and find out.

Ye Gads. That Evil Pieman

Anthony Incanno, the Honest Abe of Cornwall, has certainly put it to the Pieman.

Here's what he wrote to the Cornwall Lowball:

We have read with amusement Mr. Jonathan Swiller's letters to The Cornwall Local. Mr. Swiller knows a lot more than he would have us believe! Quite frankly, sir, we have no interest in your 2004 agitation as SOCA leader. That sir is a personal matter between you and Kiryas Joel. Cornwall schools and taxation without representation of the district population is our business.

"I am agitating for an honest debate" you wrote. Please tell us how many meetings of the Cornwall Town Board and BOE did you attend to participate in an honest debate? Fear mongering, you say. Please read the Times Herald-Record My View, dated 7/29/05. The story headline reads "Who's fooling whom on Woodbury housing projects?" The article describes threats and hints of blackmailings if housing projects are derailed but you, sir, are very familiar with that article, are you not?

He certainly did his research and he knows that's there was an article in the Record that accused the Pieman of making threats and hinting at blackmail (or blackmailings). Wow.

Let's take a look at this expose he found:

Who's fooling whom on Woodbury housing projects?
By Ralph Caruso
In an article printed June 19, two large proposed housing developments for the Town of Woodbury are discussed. The developer, Bill Brodsky, believes the town should ensure that he turns a profit for his private business venture of developing property and building homes. He also wants a zoning change to high density housing to make his property more valuable, so it will command a higher selling price.
Just think, he purchased the 178 acres for $3.5 million, or almost $20,000 per acre, and has a contract for an additional 220 acres to be added to the 178 to make up the entire parcel to be built on. Based on the purchase price of the 178 acres, if the 220 acres sells for $20,000 per acre then the 220 acres would cost $4.3 million dollars. The total cost of both properties would be about $7.8 million. If the zoning change is approved, it would add 276 homes to be built on the combined properties across from the Monroe Woodbury High School. It seems easy enough to estimate the increased value of this property, based on the increased number of proposed home sites, from 175 to 451, which relates to at least a 157 percent increase above the purchase price of about $7.8 million and about a $12.3 million profit. Add the profit to the purchase price and the property would be worth at least $20.1 million. Not a bad profit for what Mr. Brodsky calls a simple zoning change.
Mr. Brodsky is responsible to make his own business profitable, but the Town of Woodbury should not be assuring Mr. Brodsky and his business a larger profit. If so, they would be called promoters and/or business agents and it would be wrong. Elected officials are representatives of the residents of our community first and must not blur the line that separates private enterprise from government. Mr. Brodsky says he wants to develop the property, and at the same time threatens us with consequences if this project is derailed, followed by an insult to our intelligence by saying, "This is not blackmailing." There are no guarantees Mr. Brodsky will follow through with his proposals. Keep in mind, after the property is rezoned to high-density housing, Mr. Brodsky would realize at the least a $12.3 million profit by selling. Keep in mind Ace Farm, 140 acres, which abuts the property Mr. Brodsky has proposed for a zoning change, sold last year for $12.7 million, or about $90,700 per acre.
The numbers point to potentially a great deal of money to be made by Mr. Brodsky if he gets the zoning change he is demanding. No one can predict the actual selling price at this time; however, it's clear it would be significant.
Mr. Brodsky purchased this property knowing that it is only zoned to build, at the most, 175 homes. It takes a lot of nerve for this developer to attempt to intimidate the officials and residents of our community because he wants to build more homes than are permitted.
Mr. Brodsky must not be allowed to tell our town officials and residents how our town should grow so that he can make a bigger profit.


Um, uh, wait a sec.

What does this have to do with Swiller?

Caruso (that paragon of honor) is attacking Brodsky (yet another paragon of honor).

But Swiller isn't mentioned anywhere.

No matter.

The readers of the Cornwall Lowball will obviously hunt through the archives of the Record and find that out for themselves, just as Mr. Incanno, no doubt, intends.

After all, it's not like he wants to fool anyone.

Uncle Billy Rides Again

Here he comes to save the day!

Uncle Bill has agreed to run for his 10th term as our NY State Senator.

Bless his heart!

Something That Actually Matters

Diesel is a three year old white German Shepard whose family's circumstances have changed and they no longer have the time to give him the attention he deserves.

He is a sweet, friendly dog who loves children. He lives with very young children and loves the attention.

Diesel is fully housebroken and extremely friendly, he rarely barks, and has no destructive behaviors.

He is good with other dogs, but has not been exposed to cats.

Diesel is epileptic and is on medication to control his seizures.

He has seizures 1 time every 4 months or so. He will need someone who is committed to making sure he gets his medication on schedule. He has been seizure free for months.

Diesel would like a family who is home to spend time with him and take him for walks or just throw his ball.

Contact: Gina Olivieri

gochef@optonline.net

Uncle Billy, Why Do You Hate Us?

Hey now Uncle Betty, isn't this a bit unfair?

Nope.

As the headline says, Larkin's Aide's fingerprints are all over the lawsuit.

Ralph Caruso was the driving force behind the last Article 78 law suit that the good folks of Cornwall brought against Woodbury. Ralph, Donnelly, Siebold and their new pal Dick Randazzo stirred up the folks north of the border and ran the fund raisers to pay for the law suit.

Only, Ralph found out that their were a fair number of folks here in Woodbury unhappy with his rabble rousing.

So this time the spider is staying in the shadows and sending out his crew to do the dirty work.

But it's the same old game run by the same old spider (right down to the Committee for the Perversion of Woodbury popping up again to cheer the whole thing on).

And there is no way that Ralph is going to do all this without the blessings of his boss, State Senator William Larkin.

Rumblings Across the Border

They be "commencin a lasuit"



Cornwall Town Board Resolution

Special Town Board Meeting
April 21, 2008
Whereas, the Town and Village of Woodbury have heretofore considered certain proposed changes to applicable zoning regulations in regard to a proposed development of certain lands called "Legacy Ridge;" and

Whereas, the Town Board of the Town of Cornwall, as well as the Board of Education of the Cornwall Central School District, have heretofore communicated to the Town and Village of Woodbury certain concerns and objections to the proposed action; and

Whereas, it appears that the Town and Vilalge of Woodbury have disregarded the said communications from the Town Board and Board of Education and have proceeded to act in violation of applicable law and to the detriment and injury of the Town of Cornwall and its citizens; and

Whereas, the Board of Education for the Cornwall Central School District has adopted a resolution authorizing commencement of a lawsuit against the Village of Woodbury seeking to annul the action taken by the Village regarding the Legacy Ridge project as being unlawful; and

Whereas, the Town Board has determined to join the School District and such others as may participate in commencin a lasuit against the Village of Woodbury regardign the Legacy Ridge project; and

Whereas, it is necessary and proper for the Town Board to adopt a resolution formally authorizing the commencement of such a lawsuit;
Now, Therefore, be it Resolved as follows:

1. That this Town Board does hereby authorize and direct the Town's attorneys to commence the aforesaid litigation; and

2. That the Town Supervisor be and he hereby is authorized to execute any and all documents necessary to effectuate a cost sharing agreement with the Cornwall Central School District and others.
Councilman J. Kerry MicGuinness presented the foregoing resolution which was seconded by Councilman Alexander Mazzocca.
The vote on the foregoing resolution was as follows:

Mary Beth Greene-Krafft, Councilwoman, voting AYE
Randolph S. Clark, Councilman, voting, voting ABSENT
J. Kerry McGuinness, Councilman, voting AYE
Alexander Mazzocca, Councilman, voting AYE
D. Kevin Quigley, Supervisor, voting AYE

An Occassional Rhyme; Part Three

Three little meatballs
Sitting in a stew

Along came dinnertime

Larkin's Aide Strikes (Fear) Again

Paranoia strikes deep

Into your life it will creep

It starts when you're always afraid

You step out of line, the man come and take you away
...............................................................Stephen Stills

The Prerversion Party, one of Ralph Caruso's little gifts to Woodbury, is at it again.

As this FAQ from their website points out, their second favorite product, fear, is back in stock.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What do you mean neighbors, friends, enemies?

A: What I mean is Woodbury is under siege.

1. It is being divided by many different groups of people from different backgrounds, different religions, different political parties and by normal everyday intelligent people that lack common sense.

2. Some fear our neighbors to Woodbury's Western boundary, that caused zoning changes and then we disregard our neighbors to the North and that causes friction.

3. Our residents have been belittled, insulted, ridiculed, slandered, and lied to behind a veil of anonymity.

4. Words have been twisted around, taken out of context distorted and regurgitated into sentences and statements by writers without names that aim to divide our community instead of unify it.

5. You don't need a PHD to know that a Village divided is weaker and easier to control than one that is whole and in unison.

6. We have our friends, let's hope we can trust them. We have our neighbors, strong fences make good neighbors, and our enemies. Enemies could be anyone. They can smile at you and say good morning and then talk bad about you to every person they see. That's the thing about your enemies, you really don't know who they are until they show their hand. So learn to ask questions for your self and don't always take another persons opinion of one of your community members. Make up your mind for yourself.

What's the point of all this fear-mongering?

Go back up and re-read number 5.