The Enterprise opinion pages are an open forum for our community. We encourage readers to express their thoughts about issues that appear in this newspaper or affect the community. Letters should be brief (with an outside limit of 1,000 words) and must include the writer's address, name, and phone number for verification. The editor may reject letters that have been printed elsewhere. Letters concerning elections will be cut off one issue before the election at the editor's discretion. No unsigned letters will be published. The deadline for letters is Tuesday at noon.
To the Editor:
I read your article, “State Police look into complaints against trooper and by trooper – two sides of a dispute,” and I am totally disgusted. Your newspaper normally has a good selection of news, photos, humor, and community updates, but this article should never have been published. The article was only out one day and your new nickname is The Altamont Enquirer or the Altamont Star. Every time you publish, what I call “trash” like this, you will continue to lose readers.
In my 22-year career and living in this community over 40 years, I have never seen anything like this. Your newspaper has really dropped to a new low. I know all the parties involved and they are very nice people, but to air their public laundry like this is completely unnecessary.
Let’s please try to remember that there are several children involved that now have to face their friends in school. It’s embarrassing. They are all wonderful, talented, and well-behaved children and certainly did not deserve this.
If someone tells me that there is noteworthy news in your paper, pictures of talented youths playing sports or anyone that is making a difference in the community, I may go buy your paper, but for now — you will not see me purchase your “Harlequin-type reading” newspaper otherwise.
By the way, I am glad I at least bought this past edition to enjoy a picture of our friend’s talented daughter, participating on the Guilderland basketball team, and I really enjoyed the letter from Ms. Fioretti thanking the Voorheesville Fire Department, Ray Ginter, the ambulance squad, Stewart’s, and numerous neighbors and friends after her family’s unfortunate experience on Valentine’s Day when their hot-water heater caught on fire. I am truly sorry for your experience. What readers may not know is, it was the quick thinking of Trooper Steve Rothwein using a fire extinguisher, before the fire department even arrived, that kept that building from possibly being an entire loss! He heard the call while on duty and acted swiftly. Now that is newsworthy!
Theresa Balfe
Voorheesville
Editor’s note: Our page 8 Feb. 21 article focused on matters of public concern — that is, how the State Police were handling allegations of abuse of police power and spending of public funds.