Published: November 01, 2008 12:12 am      

SOUND OFF: Published November 3

I would like to suggest to the North Tonawanda School Board that they honor a former teacher who was highly respected by his students, was a role model to many of us and who we will always remember and never forget ... Edwin Payton. The lessons I and others have learned from him are still with us today. There’s not a day goes by while I am teaching my music students that I don’t impart some “Paytonisms” on them. Look at his legacy in present NTHS band directors David Manth and Norm Alexander, both amazing men and music teachers. Why not name the auditorium at the high school after Ed? Why not an alumni jazz ensemble concert next year to celebrate this amazing music educator? Call me up and I am ready to play.

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I don’t understand where the NT police were during the overnight destruction of the Meals on Wheels antique horse. When driving around NT, I always see an overabundance of police presence just driving around. Sometimes there are two of them parked and talking. If this isn’t the first time it has been hit, why wouldn’t it be part of their nightly drive? It is extremely dark back there and maybe it needs to have more lights on the building. Needless to say, NT police just are not used to having much crime; they may be coming complacent.

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This is concerning the Tonawanda Housing Authority resident who is running the child care center. She probably works harder taking care of her business than the people who are so nosy and jealous that they have to mind someone else’s business. She is taking care of her own children and nobody else is paying for them. She is providing a service for the people who have to put their children in daycare.

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After reading about the person who complains about how much he pays for insurance and medical bills ... today, I also received my new premium for the year for my health insurance. I’m retired and on a fixed income. My health insurance was increased $153 more than I was paying. Normally I pay $970 a month for my insurance. This is outrageous. (There’s) $700 billion for Wall Street to bail out the presidents and vice presidents of banks who golf, have massages and vacations on our money and made bad decisions. Now $700 billion to pay them off. Nothing for the Medicare, for the people who are paying for this. Vote the senators, congressmen and president out. Save America and get these people out of office.

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About summer school and its $150 per course per student. I’m going to check into the legality of that. I pay school taxes for this school district, and I don’t think we should be shipping our kids across the bridge to another school district for summer school. It seems we’re being double-taxed that way, for the people who are sending their kids to summer school. I can’t wait for election time. Bye-bye!