Opinion: Letters to the editor from Wilton, Gansevoort, Greenfield, South Glens Falls and SchuylervillePublished June 29, 2013

A lesson in artificial turf

In its recent loss to Troy, the South Glens Falls baseball team had the opportunity to play on artificial turf.

The game endured a 45-minute delay due to rain.

When you looked behind you from this field at Troy High School, it was evident that the natural field below was drenched from recent rains. I am certain most fields are in worse condition now.

At the end of the game, I asked my son, Matthew, how the mound held up. He said, "It was great dad, the rain didn't bother me at all." Bear in mind, it was raining for the majority of the time, beyond the 45-minute "thunder delay."

It seems to me that this field at Troy High School should be looked upon for future applications. Didn't the money allocated to its existence come from the taxpayer? As a community, shouldn't we all benefit from it? It clearly is nicer than the turf at St. John's University.

Play ball!

Kenneth R. Garcia


Chipping away at 2nd Amendment

It's pretty bad when a select few make rules that affect so many. I can't see how Saratoga can pass a law that requires someone to carry a gun in a case.

If someone legally owns a rifle, shotgun or handgun, why should they have to hide it? That's a given right under the Second Amendment. If I'm carrying a handgun that is legally owned and licensed by the state, how can the city say I have to conceal it? How many of the people who attend the gun shows and bring weapons with them to sell or trade have threatened anyone in Saratoga?

I don't believe the police will be able to enforce this new law. A lot of the people who come to the gun shows aren't from the area and won't know about this new law, and this will tie up the police department, the courts and be a major expense for the gun owner.

How many of us who go to the gun show have walked all over Saratoga posing a threat to anyone?

The people are in a select area, from the parking lot to the show and back to the parking lot. They're not hanging out in Congress Park or the mall displaying their weapons.

If the people who go to the gun shows to protest feel so threatened by someone walking from the parking lot to the building or back to their cars carrying a weapon in a non-threatening manner, then my advice is, don't go there. Actually, with all the weapons that are there it should be the safest part of the city.

This may be just my opinion, but I don't think so. I think a lot of gun owners will agree that this is just another way to try to chip away at the Second Amendment.

Wayne K. Barton

Victory Mills