Was surprised and yet not surprised to see where a local business got caught underpaying the employees on both sides of the Ohio. This is an ongoing problem in the Restaurant Industry where so many are Illegals and unable to understand the Law and afraid to complain when cheated.
The unwillingness of many legal residents to assimilate into our Society but instead want to set up the exact same neighborhoods they came from does not help either. If one will not accept English as the primary language of this Country, they will continue to suffer from the very corruption they left. By being able to understand English in both spoken and written form, they are more likely to sooner see that they are being mistreated by the unscrupulous owners of these businesses.
The recent article on the "elimination" of the Primary for Vienna Candidates is such a play on words. I still like "disenfranchised" much better. So many fought and died so we could have the vote and a few sacredly cat incumbents "legally" steal that right to vote away from the Voters here. If they are so afraid to face the voters, they should have just chose not to run again OR maybe not be so sleazy in what has been done to the Residents for years and years. I still believe it was illegal under Federal Law, totally unprotected under the ambiguous and non existing State Laws, so abused locally..
The City continues to rush forward to get the Goldstar Memorial built. I found it interesting that the Goldstar Foundation donated the last few thousand dollars to put it up. Politics in action. It showed that without a couple of private contributors, that the people probably did not want this Memorial. I for sure did not want it as a "Tourist Trap" so the City could collect Tax Dollars at the expense of those families who paid so much and now are just a $ sign to the Vienna City Government. But Mr. Rapp looks for any source of revenue to finance his ever growing spending agenda.
I was called Thursday night by someone who had also attended the Council Meeting about the City Budget that showed up in the paper on the 25th. He asked why the $570K for the VFD budget? I said that a lot of it was wages/ benefits in the $200K range for the three full timers. Than he said how would he get more information on what all the funds were for and came from? I suggested a Freedom of Information Act request. He opted to call for the information. I chuckled as I knew he would get a verbal dog and pony show before the truth ever came out. There is about a $100K in payments for the new fire truck in the above total I believe? Add in the $105K fire fee on our water bills plus a what I will call general funding of about $150K or so would bring one to the $570K range. Still a "detailed" listing would be so much more informative. Best of luck to him if he really follows through.
Was a little confused on the article that said "West Virginian relies on the expertise of the EPA and our federal partners to provide guidance regarding health impacts to individuals pertaining to C8". Is the EPA not a "federal partner"? And if we are so trusting on the C8 impacts why are we so unhappy with the rational behind the EPA Regulations that are and will continue to destroy the Coal Industry? These certainly have to do with "health impacts on individuals"?
The EPA was supposed to release new standards on the safe level of C8 in our Nations' water sometime this month. But so far not so much? I am suspicious that information was released and is being held back for Political reasons?
Was a big article about Vermont and its water warnings far below the .04 PPB that West Virginia and even Vienna are embracing as the acceptable limit of exposure. It is still sad that Mr. Brooks is still not getting the respect he deserves for the years of research and testing he participated in. Two of our Council Members went after him a few weeks back one still more recently. The longer the State puts off accepting reality, the more long term price we will pay in illness and death. The cumulative effect must be more readily noted and explored rather than the drink a glass of water issue for a day.
When I saw the miniscule requirements to be a "Tree City USA", it was a little disheartening. But did explain the workings of the City Council over the past couple of years. Really was less for the Residents than the bragging rights imagined under this program. I would think a more aggressive plan to plant more trees would be so beneficial as while the City plants one here or there, it is not keeping up with all the trees being cut down. In my little corner of the world, at least six in the past few months. They for sure are very beneficial for the air purifying and places for some wildlife to live.
The letter in the paper Sunday where Mr. Dietzler went after Mr. Azinger and in support of Mr. Rapp was enlightening. I smell lawsuits in the air and the dance between Vienna and Mr. Dietzler for position is ongoing. Think he may get a surprise though? That will come out later.
But will note in defense of poor Mr. Azinger, that Mr. Rapp also rebuffed Mr. Brooks when the first of the C8 disclosures began. And the paper also chose not to talk about all the issues at that time. Now we see some getting on the bandwagon and others getting run over.
I have said before that both Mr. Azinger and Mr. Rapp are old time Politicos with for sure Mr. Azinger out of touch with reality now. It would have been better if he had just went into retirement when he left the House of Delegates. Instead, a poor voting record for the people of Vienna and poor support for those who are going to get ill/ die from the issues of C8 in the decades to come.
It is not quite clear where the comment attributed to Mr. Azinger was said? I don't remember it being quite so stupid on his part? But he and Mr. Rapp have defended DuPont up to now. Mr. Rapp just trying to walk back his strong prior position. I again think Mr. Dietzler trolling for clients a little early?
And our illustrious Executive Editor advising on divisiveness. The position of the paper in supporting some very questionable positions and protecting those who involved is devious behavior does not help the local area. Some of our Delegates are for sure avenging old wrongs as they think may have occurred in the past years. Power Corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. 'nuff said'
(Paid for by the Candidate- Lawrence J. Wilson for Mayor of Vienna).