as stated BTR letters & comments
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,BTR APRIL 26-MAY 2, 2019 13
Superb health
care at Bx. VA
Dear editor,
I am a retired Chief Warrant
Offi cer, U.S. Navy, a veteran’s
advocate, and a longtime
patient of the James J.
Peters VA Medical Center in
th Bronx, with 45 years in attendance.
These last 12 years have
been an historic time for
health care, especially for
our nation’s veterans. Today,
thanks to our federal government
and the Department of
Veterans Affairs, we have
stronger, more reliable health
care helping our veterans to
get or remain healthy.
First and foremost, let me
share with you that I receive
approximately 75% of my
health care at the Bronx VA.
I have fairly signifi cant medical
conditions that require
continuing care by doctors
and other health care professionals.
My experiences and the experiences
of my fellow veterans
at the hospital have been
extraordinarily positive, not
perfect, but we all strive for
perfection. The Bronx VA outlet
is affi liated with Mount Sinai,
Columbia Presbyterian,
and the Hospital for Special
Surgery.
On the subject of uniqueness,
the Endocrine Department
is a primary example because
of the superb health care
given by the chief of service,
Dr. Petra Greenberg. I wanted
to write and let you know how
much veteran colleagues and
I appreciate her and her staff
and the care they provide.
They turn a negative situation
into a positive by their competent
and reassuring and caring
ways. It is reassuring that
Dr. Greenberg is available to
patients at all times with diabetic
problems.
Carmine Mezzacappa
Langhoff, Medical
Director, JJPVAMC
W-4 Navy, Retired
Don’t disrepect
9/11 victims
Dear editor,
Thank you Bronx Times
Reporter for the editorial
chiding both Representative
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and
Representative Ilhan Omar
for their comments regarding
9/11. I’m glad there is at least
one local media outlet that has
the guts to call them out.
I would love to see either
of these clueless women have
the guts to say this to the face
of any of 9/11 victim’s family
member, Bronx resident or
otherwise.
Let’s all remember this
come the next election. As
easy as it was to elect AOC the
fi rst time, it should be just as
easy to get rid of her the next
time around.
Colleen Ortiz
Pet store
closes
Dear editor,
Petland, located at 2175
White Plains Road and Pelham
Parkway South, is out of
business (as well as all their
other stores). Bronxites that
have cats and dogs can fi nd
food for them in most local
stores.
But others, who have birds,
fi sh, turtles and other exotic
pets have to travel a distance
to fi nd food and supplies for
their pets.
White Plains Road is a
highly traveled area that
needs another pet store.
Marsha Kolin
Vote ‘em out
next year
Dear editor,
I am in full support of the
sentiments expressed in your
editorial about AOC and Ilhan
Omar. I’m with you 100%
...how on earth did these ignorant
people get elected?
Vote them out next year!
Lisa DiCarluccio
Drip, drip, drip,
go tax dollars
Dear editor,
Drip, drip,drip, watch your
tax dollars go down the drain.
Have you also seen all the
‘Don’t Let Tax, Water, Or Repair
Charges Come Between
You and Your Property’ full
page ads in many daily and
weekly neighborhood newspapers?
Even worse, was the
108-page supplement which appeared
in the New York Daily
News on Wednesday, April 17.
It lists line by line the name of
every New Yorker who owes
real estate tax, water, sewer,
emergency repair or other
property - related charges “the
City of New York may sell a
lien on your property” advertisement.
Is this the best way
the NYC Departments of Finance,
Environmental Protection
along with Housing Preservation
and Development can
spend taxpayers dollars?
When will NYC Comptroller
and 2021 Mayoral-wannabe
Scott Stringer audit and put
an end to this waste, fraud and
abuse of taxpayers dollars?
Larry Penner
Ferry service
offers careers
Dear editor,
For close to 150 years,
SUNY Maritime College has
been at the forefront of educating
and training mariners and
providing a large percentage of
the maritime workforce in the
New York City region. The benefi
t to all New Yorkers of waterborne
transit is substantial.
In a relatively short time,
NYC Ferry has expanded to a
ridership of over 8 million people
– and that number is growing.
Its proposed ferry landing
in Throggs Neck/Bronx will
be a welcome addition to our
transit-starved community
and will offer students and local
residents with a fast transportation
alternative between
Throggs Neck and other areas
of the great City of New York.
In times of emergency, and
in an era of increasingly congested
roadways, fully utilizing
our blue highways makes
sense.
In addition, NYC Ferry
provides outstanding career
options for SUNY Maritime
College graduates as well as entry
level mariners who achieve
professional maritime certifi
cation. SUNY Maritime is
proud to have trained roughly
25 percent of the NYC Ferry
crews who now guide those
blue-and-white boats throughout
New York Harbor.
A host of mariners who
are driving the boats in New
York Harbor today have gone
through signifi cant training
utilizing SUNY Maritime College’s
state-of-the-art simulators
that mimic the fi erce currents
of the city’s waterways.
A diverse and highly professional
body, our maritime
graduates are committed to
keeping our waterways safe,
effi cient and vibrant.
Let’s embrace ferries for the
connections they make and the
opportunities they provide for
our neighborhoods and for our
homegrown maritime talent.
Rear Admiral
Michael A. Alfultis. Ph.D.
President
SUNY Maritime College
‘As Stated’ offers an array
of interesting news-breaking
commentary every week.
This edition presents comments
by the borough president
on SNAP, student civic
engagement and the mayor’s
plan to site a jail in Mott Haven,
and comments from Assemblyman
Victor M. Pichardo
on an ICE court ruling
and a recent school merger,
as well as Councilman Andy
King’s praise of the governor’s
actions to halt the sale of
K2. Read on....
Borough President Ruben
Diaz, Jr. issued the following
statement regarding
the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP)
Online Purchasing Pilot Program,
which was launched
today in New York State
by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.....“This pilot program
has the potential to dramatically
diminish food deserts
while also increasing
choice and lowering costs for
some of our most vulnerable,
food-insecure communities.
Shoppers will now be able to
use their SNAP benefi ts to
shop for food at certain online
vendors, just like they would
use a credit or debit card. This
pilot program could lead to
lower prices and greater options
for all New Yorkers.”
Borough President Ruben
Diaz, Jr. talked civic participation
with Co-op City students
on Monday, April 22....“It
is so important that our children
have a civic education
and a basic understanding of
how democratic government
works to change their world.
“Children are our future
and we must prepare them to
be the next generation of voters
and leaders.”
Borough President Ruben
Diaz, Jr. assailed the
Mayor’s ‘jail design advisory
group announcement’....“The
timing of this announcement
makes it crystal clear that
your administration has no
desire to even pretend to take
community input into account
during the (jail) siting
process, and in fact views the
outcome of the ULURP as a
fait accompli.
“Mott Haven is the wrong
location for a new jail in the
Bronx. An obviously better
location exists for this jail. If
you truly value community input
on this issue you would be
wise to recognize this fact.”
Assemblyman Victor M.
Pichardo’s reaction to the
NYS Offi ce of Court Administration’s
ruling on prohibiting
BOROUGH PRESIDENT
RUBEN DIAZ, JR
ICE in courtrooms.....“It is
disturbing to know that until
yesterday, ICE had the ability
to invade courtrooms and obstruct
justice for this administration’s
own vain sense of it.
“I will continue to ensure
that New York state remains
a haven for immigrants from
the cruelty of a xenophobic,
racist, and short-sighted federal
government.”
Assemblyman Victor M.
Pichardo’s statement condemning
the poor location
that was selected to hold the
merger vote on East Fordham
Academy of the Arts and the
Academy for Personal Leadership
and Excellence.....“On
Wednesday night, the vote to
merge East Fordham Academy
of the Arts and the Academy
for Personal Leadership
and Excellence, was found to
be unanimous.
“However, instead of holding
such an important vote
in School District 10 in the
Bronx, the district these two
schools reside in, the (NYC)
Department of Education decided
to hold (the vote) in
lower Manhattan at 6 p.m.
“It is astounding how inaccessible
this public hearing
was for the parents of these
two schools, who deserved to
have their voices heard during
the proceedings. After
listening to the concerns of
these families, and working
to see what can be done to alleviate
them, I am disappointed
with both the process and its
outcome. We need to encourage
participation, not make it
almost impossible.”
Councilman Andy King
applauded the Governor’s comprehensive
agenda to combat
K2.....“At a time when there is
so much conversation on the
tolerance of substance use, I
applaud Governor Cuomo for
his aggressive, multi-agency
and multifaceted initiative
tackling the scourge of synthetic
marijuana, or K2, in
our great state.