Rochester area Barometer

Rochester Barometer March 22, 2008

Spring is springing and the Rochester environmental landscape remains the same with a few disturbing developments. To update the previous ongoing concerns: Still no ADA-compliant hospital access for the MCS-disabled at any Rochester hospital. Because New York’s brand new governor appeared here last week to meet with area hotshots about Rochester’s future, and because one of these hotshots was UR President Seligman, who (according to the person he assigned to respond to the Strong Hospital non-access issue after my numerous attempts at an simple answer) refuses to comply with ADA law, I will be writing to the governor this week to apprise him of this and other glaring breaches of law in Rochester and Monroe County. Don’t forget that the more letters the governor and attorney general receive, the more likely they are to look into these matters.

Monroe County officials – Maggie Brooks, County Executive, Daniel De Laus, County Attorney, Patrick O’Flynn, Sheriff, and the County Health Department refuse to enforce their own county’s sanitary code in the matter of recreational open burning. The code states that open burning is not allowed if it causes a health hazard or nuisance. The code also states that the sheriff is to enforce this code. As smoke is always a health hazard, complaints are not subjective. Many county residents are being seriously injured by this open burning but after more than 20 communication attempts, I have received no response from Maggie Brooks, Daniel De Laus, or Patrick O’Flynn. The County Health Department has responded numerous times to say that they can’t do anything about it… your tax dollars at work. I will pursue an Article 78 proceeding this week.

Early last December there was a major chlorine-type chemical leak/spill blanketing a large portion of Rochester. I was one of at least 3 people who called the fire department. Naturally, in response to a multi-mile problem, they sniffed my garbage can for chlorine odor!! The next day they claimed that no one had called in a complaint. They later amended their story when they ascertained that I knew exactly what I was talking about. That night I also called the news (they never called back) and whatever appropriate agencies I could find in the blue pages. The next day I talked to the Office of Emergency Preparedness, who took my story and promised to have the director call back. This never happened. I talked to another office person a week later who decided to sum up my previous detailed description by saying, “so you saw a big chlorine cloud”. Your tax dollars at work, folks! I happened to get the director, Muffy Meisenzahl, on the phone and she said she was busy and would call me back on the following Monday. That was 3 ½ months ago. I will be following this up with Homeland Security. This could have been chemical sabotage. Of course, we’re used to that here with Kodak pollution. This was probably just another case of a wink-wink arrangement with Kodak to unload illegal amounts of toxic chemicals over the city. Did you know that in New York state you cannot have your blood tested for toxic chemicals? Ever wonder why? Gee, what (or who) would have to stop if the poisoning were made public? Tonight there is a serious chemical air problem in this neighborhood. I would like to have it checked out – but why bother? The agencies obliged to respond do not take it seriously and apparently do not care about the health effects of chemical pollution on the citizenry.

And the piece de resistance – Frontier Telephone with certain city and county supervisors have perpetrated whole WiFi neighborhoods on unsuspecting citizens. So far these neighborhoods are in Greece, Pittsford, and downtown Rochester. Maps are available upon request. Also, ClearWire has begun a WiFi assault throughout all Rochester neighborhoods. I encourage you to let businesses and city officials in Greece, Pittsford, and downtown know that you and your friends will not do business in these areas until the dangerous (this is proven science, folks) and pervasive WiFi frequencies have been removed. You can buy an inexpensive WiFi hotspot meter at WalMart. Please contact MCS Advocacy.org if you need to inform yourself on the serious dangers of cell phones, cell towers, and WiFi.

And politicians wonder why upstate NY is dying? Make it attractive and law-abiding instead of hazardous and lax and people will want to come here! What a concept!